Health · La Mesilla

La Mesilla, NM health

On most measures La Mesilla looks like New Mexico as a whole. It has more adults treating high blood pressure (77% vs 73.3%) and more adults getting cholesterol checked (86.8% vs 83.4%). Where it trails the state: more adults with diabetes (16.5% vs 13.2%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for La Mesilla
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

La Mesilla’s Health Grade: C+

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, La Mesilla is healthier than 37% of U.S. towns and 50% of New Mexico towns.

C-Self-rated healthC-Physical distressAMental distressCObesityDDiabetesA-SmokingC+Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 37%
Less healthyHealthier
New Mexico towns we grade (163)Healthier than 50%
Towns with similar incomes, $61K–$102K (9,753)Healthier than 28%

About what its income would suggest. La Mesilla does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, La Mesilla could be anywhere from C− to B.
How the Health Grade works
  • Seven CDC estimates. Adults in fair or poor health, frequent physical distress, frequent mental distress, obesity, diabetes, smoking and no exercise (CDC PLACES, 2025 release). On each one a town earns the share of U.S. towns doing worse, and those shares are averaged. It’s the same score as our Healthiest towns in New Mexico ranking.
  • Graded on a national curve. Every U.S. town with 1,000+ residents and all seven estimates (19,420 places) is lined up by score: A+ top 5%A next 10%A- next 10%B B+ to B−, next 30%C C+ to C−, next 30%D D and D−, bottom 15%
  • Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares La Mesilla with U.S. towns whose median household income is within 25% of its own.
  • Modeled, not measured. CDC combines national survey answers with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix. La Mesilla uses CDC’s own estimate for it. High blood pressure is left out because it tracks age more than anything else. The confidence line recomputes the grade with every estimate at the low, then the high, end of its range.
Report card

How La Mesilla compares with New Mexico

Each theme counts how many of its measures are better, worse or too close to call against the state. Tap one to jump to it.

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 La Mesilla adults…

37 of every 100 La Mesilla adults have high blood pressure
New Mexico: 34 in 100 · too close to call · margin 32.2–41.2%

Bars show La Mesilla; the black tick is New Mexico. Tap a condition to see it as people.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

La Mesilla, betterLa Mesilla, worseToo close to callNew Mexico
Get no exerciseshare of adults 28% La Mesilla
NM 25.6%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 32.5% La Mesilla
NM 32.7%
Binge drinkshare of adults 11.8% La Mesilla
NM 13.7%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 11.8% La Mesilla
NM 13.4%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of La Mesilla adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Mexico.

72%
Yearly checkup
NM 69%
62%
Dentist visit
NM 61%
87%
Cholesterol check
NM 83%
58%
Colon screening
NM 58%
77%
Mammogram
NM 70%
77%
Taking BP meds
NM 73%
1 in 6
working-age adults has no health insurance
La Mesilla 17.1% · New Mexico 1 in 6 (15.6%)
Mind & connection

How La Mesilla adults are doing

1 in 3La Mesilla adults feel lonely
31.4% · New Mexico 34.1% · too close to call
1 in 5La Mesilla adults have been diagnosed with depression
19.8% · New Mexico 23.2% · too close to call
1 in 4La Mesilla adults lack social or emotional support
23.6% · New Mexico 24.5% · too close to call
1 in 7La Mesilla adults are in frequent mental distress
14.2% · New Mexico 16.1% · too close to call
Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 5
La Mesilla adults worry about having enough food
20.4% · NM 20.9% · about the same
1 in 6
La Mesilla adults worry about keeping their housing
16.2% · NM 16.5% · about the same
1 in 9
La Mesilla adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
10.9% · NM 11.2% · about the same
1 in 10
La Mesilla adults lack reliable transportation
10.1% · NM 11% · about the same

15.8% of La Mesilla adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 16.9% across New Mexico.

Disability

Living with a disability

36.2%

of La Mesilla adults live with a disability (New Mexico 34%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs18.3%
Thinking or memory14.4%
Hearing9.1%
Errands alone8.8%
Vision8.1%
Dressing or bathing5.3%

Black tick: New Mexico. Shown without a better/worse judgment.

Getting care

Care in and near La Mesilla

No hospital or community health center in La Mesilla itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERPresbyterian Espanola HospitalEspanola · 4 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyPresbyterian Santa Fe Medical Center★★★★★ · 22.7 miDirections →
+Low-cost careEl Centro Family HealthEspanola · 3.6 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
3.6 mi
El Centro Family Health
4 sites · nearest in Espanola
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
3.9 mi
Espanola Pathways Shelter
Espanola · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
4 mi
Presbyterian Espanola Hospital
Espanola · not rated
ER
15 mi
Los Alamos Medical Center
Los Alamos · not rated
ER
17.9 mi
Santa Fe Phs Indian Hospital
Santa Fe · not rated
22.7 mi
Presbyterian Santa Fe Medical Center
Santa Fe · ★★★★★
ER
! Primary careLa Mesilla's county is a federal shortage area.Rio Arriba County · need score 18 of 25
! Dental careLa Mesilla's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Rio Arriba County · need score 19 of 25
! Mental healthLa Mesilla's county is a federal shortage area.Rio Arriba County · need score 18 of 25

Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of La Mesilla. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for La Mesilla
MeasureLa MesillaMarginNew Mexico
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure36.6%32.2–41.2%34.3%about the same
High cholesterol36.9%32.3–41.8%35.1%about the same
Obesity38.8%31.3–46.8%34.1%about the same
Arthritis28.2%24.8–32.1%25.6%about the same
Depression19.8%16.5–23.6%23.2%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)12.4%10.1–15.1%14.2%about the same
Asthma9.4%8.1–10.8%9.9%about the same
Cancer (not skin)7.7%6.8–8.5%7.4%about the same
Diabetes16.5%14.2–19.2%13.2%worse
COPD6.5%5.5–7.7%6.6%about the same
Heart disease8%6.9–9.2%7.2%about the same
Stroke4.2%3.7–4.7%3.8%about the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes11.8%9.5–14.3%13.4%about the same
Binge drink11.8%9.4–14.6%13.7%about the same
Get no exercise28%23.1–33.5%25.6%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours32.5%27.1–38.7%32.7%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup72.3%67.9–76.4%69%about the same
Dentist visit62.3%58.6–66%61.4%about the same
Cholesterol check86.8%84.5–88.8%83.4%better
Colon screening58.2%52.7–63.8%57.5%about the same
Mammogram77.3%70.1–83.6%70.3%about the same
Taking BP meds77%73.4–80.4%73.3%better
No health insurance17.1%13.4–21.4%15.6%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely31.4%26.7–36.4%34.1%about the same
Lack emotional support23.6%19.7–27.4%24.5%about the same
Frequent mental distress14.2%12.3–16.4%16.1%about the same
Fair or poor health25.7%21.9–29.9%24%about the same
Frequent physical distress16.4%14.2–18.9%15.5%about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity20.4%16.4–24.5%20.9%about the same
Housing insecurity16.2%13.4–19.1%16.5%about the same
Utility shut-off threat10.9%9.2–12.6%11.2%about the same
No reliable transportation10.1%8.5–11.7%11%about the same
Receive SNAP15.8%12.7–19.3%16.9%
Disability
Any disability36.2%31.3–41.6%34%
Walking or climbing stairs18.3%15.5–21.5%15.5%
Thinking or memory14.4%12.3–16.9%15.5%
Hearing9.1%7.9–10.5%8.5%
Vision8.1%6.9–9.3%7.2%
Dressing or bathing5.3%4.6–6.3%4.7%
Errands alone8.8%7.6–10.3%9.3%
About these numbers

How CDC estimates town health

They're modeled estimatesCDC combines a large national health survey with each area's age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed La Mesilla door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the New Mexico figure falls inside it, we don't call La Mesilla better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes La Mesilla directly, so these are its own figures.

CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The New Mexico figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population.

Health estimates: CDC PLACES. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau.

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